Cosmic Thing
by Cadi Cay
Summary: AU Four parter. Over the years things had progressed, until last year, ninth grade, they had made love one night for the first time during a thunderstorm, it was like something out of a movie. They were a pair, they were perfect, and they were in love.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Advanced Beginners**

He was back. Back in Tree Hill. Back home.

Nathan Scott had left home only two years ago to live with his father. Unwillingly, he left his mother, brother: Lucas, and his best friend- Jake Jagielski…and his beloved girlfriend- Haley James.

When he left that July, two summers ago, he was going to go into his sophomore year of high school. Jake's father and Haley's mother were going to be married in October. And his parent's divorce was finalized. It had been rough.

_Fifteen year old Haley James nestled her nose into her boyfriend's chest. Just telling her the he was being forced to move to the other side of the country, she was absolutely devastated. There were no other words to describe it. Her eyes began to water, though quickly blinked the salty liquid back. Haley smiled up at him as she pulled way from his comforting hug.. _

_"Well it was fun right? Um, maybe we should just call this off now," She said, motioning that 'this' was them…the one relationship in his life he cherished. "Ya know so we don't put off the inevitable." She didn't look at him, she couldn't._

_"Who said we had to call it off? We could talk on the phone everyday, send e-mails…come on Hales." He pleaded with her. Haley James had been a constant in his life since he was nine years old. _

_First as the best of friends, playing kickball in the street. Then in fifth grade Nathan asked her to be his girlfriend so they could peck on the cheek and meet at the water fountain. In sixth grade Nathan would take her to the local movie theater for an afternoon show and hold her hand. Seventh grade was their first real kiss. Over the years things had progressed some, until last year, ninth grade, they had made love one night for the first time during a thunderstorm, it was like something out of a movie. They were a pair, they were perfect, and they were in love. _

_"Nathan we're fifteen. A long distance relationship just won't work. I'm not trying to be harsh or anything, I just want a clean break." She spoke softly as she looked down at her feet. _

_"I want to give you this then." Nathan said pulling a small velvet box out of his pocket. He opened it with care and took out the ring it held. Slowly he slipped it on her finger as he spoke to her. "It's a promise ring. Promise me that if I come back before graduation that you'll take me back. Please Haley." He looked at her face as she studied the vintage piece of jewelry that now adorned her finger. The ivory pearlescent oval center shimmered in the sun, it was hugged by a set of a flower and two leaves on each side, the silver carvings then flowed into the silver band that fit snugly around her thin digit._

_"Promise" The young girl vowed hesitantly. _

But now- now he was back. And things would fall into place. He and Haley would be _the _couple again, and everything would be great. Every thing would be perfect. Every thing would be normal

Jake woke up that sticky, humid august morning to his girl friend, Peyton Sawyer, placing tantalizing kissed on his bare chest, the fragrance of her shampoo wafting through his senses, her wickedly curly golden locks tickled the sensitive skin of his Adams apple.

"How did you get in here?" He whispered, his vocal cords not yet warmed up after so many hours of rest, he didn't bother to pull back his eyelids. Though if he had the golden flecks in his brilliant emerald eyes would shimmer like Christmas lights in the snow.

"I used the key under the mat." she said as if is was the most natural thing in the world, knowing full and well that the spare key was only to be used by an actual occupant of the home in the case of an emergency. Peyton moved away from him towards his wardrobe, examining the pictures scattered about. None of which captured any moments of his mother's.

_Amy Jagielski stumbled in through the back door after fumbling with the key a couple of times over. The green lights on the microwave indicated that it was well past one in the morning. In the one floor home, Amy made her way from the kitchen to the master bedroom in which she shared with her husband. The door creaked slightly upon entrance, and she winced- hoping the vile sound didn't wake her husband. Sliding on the wood paneled floor on the balls of her feet, Amy was able to get from one end of the vast room to the other without a sound. However when she went to open the draws of the wooded dresser, the light from the lamp on a side table flickered on. The soft yellow light illuminated the furious face of her-_

_"Where the hell were you?" His voice was strong and defiant, much like his facial features. _

_"Marc please, I'm your wife not your teenage daughter." she scoffed. _

_"That's the thing Amy, I don't think that going to be the case any more." He laughed sarcastically. Marc Jagielski had somehow gotten out of bed and ten inches away from her face in a heartbeat. _

_"What? Another divorce threat? Get some new material sweetie." She turned around and pulled the sequence top off her voluptuous form. _

_"I'm not going to stand for this any more! I didn't give a flying shit before! But now we have Jacob! I have Jacob! I won't have him grow up with a whore as a mother!" Marc went to his own bedside table to pull out a hefty manila envelope. He turned to face Amy; she was watching him with stiff curiosity. "I already signed them. I want you out of my house when I wake up." He didn't bother to even look at his wife of five years. He just turned and strode quietly into the next room over. _

_Even in the dark of the night the mural of circus tents and animal could be seen on the soft walls. Resting his strong hand on the edge of the crib, Marc peered over to spot the sleeping form of his son. He reached down to grasp the fragile hand in his own. It was almost a miracle the small baby had not woken up during the heated argument. _

_"We'll figure something out Jake. We'll be okay."_

"Ya wanna do something? See a movie? Go to breakfast?" His girlfriend asked. She was particularly bubbly this morning.

"What the hell is with you, it's like your happy or something." Jake teased as he pulled a white cotton tee over his shaggy brown locks.

"Well my dad docks tonight. So I was hoping we could do something fun today and then later you could help me cook dinner….please?" Her hands mirrored those of an elderly woman praying to the good lord on a Tuesday.

"Sounds like a plan foxy." Jake told her suavely. She only laughed at the tackiness as she waited for him to get dressed for the eventful day.

Once he was done, Jake told Peyton that he wanted to let Haley know where he was going to be. As he walked through the quiet halls of the home Jake came upon the last door at the end of the hall. On it was a large parental advisory poster, above it Haley was written in signature graffiti style, Led Zeppelin blaring from inside. He opted for walking in instead of knocking knowing she wouldn't hear it anyway. Between the small slit of the open door Jake could see Haley in front of her large mirror, running a brush through her straight black locks.

_"I get you want to be happy, but what about me. I don't want anything to change. I've kept quiet, but I won't anymore! I don't want a new dad!"_

"_Haley you and I both know that your dad isn't gong to come back. He's dead Haley" The consoling mother told her daughter. _

"_Thanks for that clarification! But at least dad was a good guy. Now your marrying some gold digging bastard. He screwed you for your money and now he's going to screw you over!" Haley screamed. Nathan Had left only ten days ago, and now it seemed as if everything else in her life was spiraling out of control. _

_A loud crack was heard throughout the room. Haley didn't realize what it was until a stinging pain erupted on one side of her face. Haley looked at her mother and pulled the emotion back from her eyes, assembling the soldiers to build up the walls once again. The mother daughter pair stayed like that for a few moments- Lydia looked as if she was fighting not to pull her daughter into her awaiting arms. She didn't. Haley turned around and walked out the door. Not saying a word. _

_She hopped on her bike and rode furiously for about ten minutes until she came upon the main street of the small town. Walking into the local drug store Haley immediately went over to the hair care section and went to pick up a bottle of jet black hair dye. _

_Though another hand went for the same one as she. When she looked up a boy about her age was looking back at her. His own hair was the same color as the girl in the photo on the bottle, under his eyes was a thick black smudge of eyeliner. He wore a grey Guns and Roses tee shirt under a red and black stripped short sleeve button down. His tight worn black jeans flowed into his equally worn Chuck Taylor's. Haley knew in that moment that she wanted to be able to fit in with his crowd._

_"Here." He said as he gave one bottle to her and kept one for himself. "Jimmy Heart." _

_"Um, Haley. And thank you." She told him, indicating to the bottle of dye he had handed her. _

_"You do realize that your hair is blonde. Right?" _

_"Ya I noticed." She scoffed trying to hide her nervousness. _

_"I'm just saying you must want one hell of a change." _

_"My mother's getting remarried." Haley walked passed him to the register though she noticed he didn't follow, she turned to face him. _

_"I guess that means new friends too?" He smirked. He knew her, he has seen so many of her before." Listen when you get it together, a bunch of us hang out down by the 7/11. Stop by some time." Jimmy Heart put the bottle of hair dye under his arm in between his tee and button down, and simply walked out of the small shop. When the store alarm went off, Haley saw him break into a sprint though the front window. _

Haley saw her step brother in the mirror, though she didn't look back at him.

"Peyton and me are going out, I'll have my cell just in case. What are you planning on doing today?" Jake inquired.

"There's a party that me and Jimmy are going to tonight."

"I still don't get why you date that asshat." Jake came into her room and sat on her bed.

"It's not for you to get. He's my boyfriend. I love him." Haley said as she slid a tube of fire engine red lipstick over her lips.

"Two years ago we were best friends and you loved someone else." Neither saw the irony in his words. For things would soon be out of balance because of the old lover.

"A lot of things changed- I'm not a stupid little girl and we're not friends." Haley went to the open door letting Jake know that he had over stayed his welcome.

"You still ware it though. So maybe things aren't as different as you want them to be." Jake pointed to the ring on her finger. Nathan's promise ring. A promise that was shot to hell in her mind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

**Darkness Abroad **

Nathan laid up right in his queen size bed staring at a picture that had been taken before he had moved to California with his dad. Her head was thrown back in laughter as he kissed her elongated neck with a smile of his own. This was the photograph that had gotten though the darkest days.

He wondered if she still wore her hair in a loose ponytail everyday, he wondered if she still wore jeans that were loose around her thighs, he wondered if she still wore those stupid tees.

His wondering would come to a close tonight. Nathan planned on going to the Jagielski and James home that evening.

If it weren't for the jet lag, Nathan would be bouncing off the walls with giddiness.

Haley sat in front of her vanity for the second time that day. Finishing up, she pulled the thick back eyeliner pencil under her eyelids, and reapplied her lipstick. She adjusted her top, an expensive piece of black lacy lingerie so that the top didn't cut off part of her tattoo- a cluster of five black star outlines, all different sizes.

She went to open the side draw of the vanity to retrieve her brush- however it was stuck. After unsuccessfully yanking it a few times it finally flew open, the contents blending in with the rest of the mess on the floor. Though one thing in particular caught her eye. The silver frame shined with from bright ceiling light- it held a picture of them together on the beach. He was smiling towards the camera while she kissed his cheek with exaggerated puckered lips. Nathan had given her that picture for her birthday.

Haley placed the frame in her lap and turned her wrist to reveal a script tattoo that read 'Jimmy' in her own handwriting, she had designed it. He had one much like her's that read 'Haley's'. The sexual attraction that her and Jimmy Heart shared was simple lust, however she loved him as a best friend. They would do anything for each other, however out of loyalty not love. Though she would fuck him whenever the opportunity arose.

Haley didn't even get to brush her hair as she had intended before she heard the beeping of her boyfriend's beat up olive green Camaro. She stood up to fix her black matchstick jeans and slipped on her patent leather four inch high, bright red, peep toe heels. Running down the stairs, she didn't bother to bring anything at all, knowing full and well that it would be forgotten when she left the party in her usual non-coherent state.

Nathan had been so nervous getting ready to see Haley again that he had taken an extra hour and a half to ready than normal. Then when he got to the house, Nathan stayed in the car for a half hour bouncing his knee up and down. Then when he finally got to the front door, Nathan paced for a good fifteen minutes before he had mustered up enough strength to knock, by then it was already ten o'clock. A few minutes later a tall boy came to the door.

"Jake?" He looked exactly the same, same haircut, same eyes.

"Nathan?" The other boy's taller and more muscular build had thrown him off at first, though in a second they were slapping each other on the back, doing that weird guy thing way, and Jake had invited him in.

The boys were sitting on the couch having a couple of sodas, talking about how they were mostly, until Nathan questioned the inevitable.

"Man, it's not like I not happy to see you or anything but I was wondering If Haley was here." Jake sighed; this was going to be tough.

"She's out actually."

"Oh um, do you mind if I stick around for a while and wait? I really wanted to see her tonight."

"I guess. But she probably won't be home till like one thirty the earliest. Lydia and my dad are in the Bahamas for two weeks, so it's not like they'll care."

"Since when does Haley stay out that late?" Nathan had been equal to a god freshman year; he went out with his friends, drank some, though Haley had always stayed in on those particular occasions.

"Things didn't exactly freeze for you man. Times have changed. But listen if you wanna stay and wait for her I'm going to be here, so you can hang."

"I don't want to bother you or anything."

"No problem… guess we have some time to kill." Jake said awkwardly to the other boy, whom at one point in time had been his best friend.

Jake knew that Nathan was still in love with Haley James- the nerdy good girl. Nathen didn't know the Haley James she was today- the punked out rebel chick.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Just Peaches and Cream**

It was now a half passed two in the morning. Every one at the house party was totally smashed and now making out with a person from the opposite sex (…or the same) on all the surfaces of the home. Floors, counters, couches…you name it. Jimmy and Haley included.

"Do you…think we should…move…this to the…comforts…of your…empty house?" Jimmy spoke gruffly in between his hungry kisses to Haley's lips.

"If we make it all the way there…" Haley said seductively as she raised her self off of him and scampered towards the door.

The ride to the car had been interesting to say the least. Upon entering her home Jimmy was carrying a shirtless Haley through the door. Her shoes and his own shirt were discarded some where between the front door and family room door entrance.

Unbeknownst to the two lovers her stepbrother and ex-boyfriend were situated there playing a game daunting of NBA live. The two boys were caught up in their video game to hear the front door slam shut, however when the distinct sounds of feminine moaning floated through the air, they had to look back. Low and behold there was a dark haired couple practically going at it on the wall opposite them.

_Since when does another girl live in the house? Long lost sister?_ Nathan thoughfully questioned. The boy was about to take off his partner's bra when Jake intervened.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing? Couldn't make it to your bed Hales?" The boy's voice boomed- taunting her almost, forgetting momentarily that Nathan was sitting on the couch next to him.

"Fuck off." Haley said to her step-brother with a scoff as she pulled Jimmy up the stairs with her. Slamming the door behind themselves.

"Wait, Haley!" Jake called after the girl. Haley didn't answer him, just plowed forward and slammed the white door in his face- so he proceeded to bang with his fists on the thick wood. "Haley! Haley, open the fucking door, damn it!" Finally the door was flung open as the pissed off form of Jimmy Heart strode down the hall and out of sight, though not before glaring roughly at Jake and mumbling an incoherent swear.

Haley passed Jake, and walked with a heavy foot down the stairs, now changed into a black wife beater and a pair of bright red hot pants.

"You officially killed the mood and my buzz!" Haley stated angrily, as she went to look for her missing shirt. Jake followed her down the stairs and, as suspected saw a dumbstruck Nathan Scott gawking at the girl before him. He watched as Haley plopped on to the sofa and flipped through the numerous movie channels, concluding that this would be the best time to make him self scarce.

Whether the gawking boy was unnoticed by Haley James, or she didn't care enough to question him, was a mystery for it was far longer than ten minutes before any words were spoken between the pair.

"So you must be Haley…" Nathan said to his loved one. His voice failed him some, stuttering profusely on the five words.

"Yea." She didn't look at him and her tone was indignant and cold- not as he remembered it. Her voice used to be soothing as she comforted him many times with the buttery smooth sound.

"That's a nice ring." He told her cryptically.

"Yup."

"Someone special give it to you?" This would be the string of words that broke her. He knew it. She would turn to him teary eyed and tell him that she missed him- the boy that gave it to her, what felt like so many years ago. Then he would reveal his true identity to her and the pair would share a wonderfully emotional kiss.

"Nope." However, he was greatly disappointed. "Why the hell am I even talking to you? Better yet why the fuck do you care about my god damned ring?" She demanded.

"Honestly?" Haley nodded, her temper running short. "I wanted to know if you still loved me…" The sound he made was seemingly close to that of a small scared boy. At some point her eyes had drifted away from his strong features, though upon realization to what his words meant, Haley's stare snapped back to him- her eyes mirroring the size of small countries.

"What?" Haley whispered and her voice faltered- something it had not done in two years. Two very long years


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Just a Boy**

"I've missed you…" Nathan started, though the words fell off is tongue as he looked into her eyes. It was as if a wrecking ball had come to let the emotion come and flood back it to her eyes. The beginning of tears started to pool.

It was gone though in a second. The walls were back and her cold demeanor was once again, firmly in place.

"Get out." Haley ordered through gritted teeth.

"What?"

He didn't understand…

"I said get out, you selfish son of a bitch! Who the fuck do you think you are thinking that you could just waltz back her like nothing happened?" Her clenched fists were flying in rage. "I said get out! Now!"

And he did. He didn't want to fight with her.

She wasn't the same as she had been two years ago and he understood that.

Though he would never stop loving that beautiful girl named Haley James…

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Behind Blue Eyes played quietly in the background of the room. Haley looked around, her vision was blurred from the steady stream of hot tears on her face. It was a feeling that had been missed, it was a feeling of….release.

She stared out the window, and gazed at the picture and posters on the walls- wondering if she could pinpoint the exact moment when it all changed.

Was it when Nathan told her he was moving?

Was it the first time she saw Jimmy Hart?

Was it when she took her first hit?

It didn't matter now though. Nothing really mattered because in the end it all came down to _him._

He had never been _just_ a boy. Never.


End file.
